I just installed some rear disk brakes on my 1994 Honda Civic EX Coupe. I got a new proportioning valve from a 1995 Honda Civic SI and a new brake master cylinder from a Civic SI. I also have some Earl's Steel Braided lines. I have new brake pads and had the rotors resurfaced. When I completed the install I bled my brakes. For some reason my brake pedal is still spongy to the touch. I checked the rear disks and they are clamping and checked all the brake lines and there is no air in the lines. I was wondering if you can provide me with some suggestions as to how I can remedy this.

My initial thought was because I didn't replace my brake booster but I checked online and saw that the brake booster for a Civic SI and a Civic EX are exactly the same. Please let me know if I am wrong.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

might have a bad m.c. i know you said you got a new one, but it could be bad. does it slowly leak to the floor? if u stab it real hard and quick will it grab tight for a second? possibly work fine when stabbed but not when easing on brakes? if any of these are symptoms for you, look at the m.c.

 

It actually works really good when I press on it really fast. It grabs and it holds really well. The pedal just feels spongy and not as firm as other cars that I've driven with steel braided lines. I'll look into the MC.

 

ok if master cylinder is bad, the brake is not gonna work at all, when u step on the brake, will it go all the way down to the floor, if yes means u have a leak somewhere, if not mean ur brake is fine

 

it could be as simple as the new brake pads have a different feel. did you do a bedding in procedure for the new pads? if not time to do one, once it's done the brake pads will grab better. the fact that when you jab the pedal it feels better kind of leads me to believe that the issue is with bedding the pads. provided your pedal does not sink to the floor when you press and hold while stopped.

 

I had the rear brake rotors resurfaced before I did the swap. The brake pads are new as well and they are ceramic. I think my pads should be broken in by now. I don't really think the MC is bad. My brake pedal doesn't fall to the floor. I don't think I have a leak because I don't have to refill the brake fluid.

 

as others have asked if you pump the brakes a few times and then hold the pedal does it fall to the floor(slowly or quickly?). did you bench bleed the MC before installing it? if you have a haynes book, there are like 4 different procedures you can try in order to troubleshoot different brake issues. go through each one of those and report back anything you find.

-Luke

 

ceramic brake pads feel that way. you still should do the bedding in, it makes no difference if the rotor was resurfaced or they were brand new rotors.

do the bedding in procedure and report back.

 

If I pump the pedal a few times it doesn't fall to the floor. I didn't bench bleed the MC before installing it. I do have a haynes manual and I'll go through the procedures. Even if I didn't bench bleed the MC, shouldn't all of the air have been removed when I bled the brake lines? I checked my lines and there was no air in them. I'll do the bedding in procedure and let you know what happens.

 

at this point i don't think your problem has anything to do with air in the lines. lots of ceramic pads feel soft(compared to stock or metallic pads), even after a proper bedding in procedure. if things don't improve after the bedding in, it might be just something you have to get used to and live with. however, i suspect after the bedding it in, the pedal feel will improve